4 Tips To Speed Up Muscle Recovery

If you spend the majority of your week lifting, then you should be taking some time off to allow your muscles to recover. If not, you won?t be able to hit the strength-building goals you?re working hard to reach. Recovery though, doesn?t mean chilling in front of the TV or binge eating on candy ? what you do on your off-day is just as vital as what you do in the gym.

This is where we cross to over to Men?s Fitness, which has four tips on how you can give your muscles the correct rehab it needs:

1. Promote Circulation By Working Your Joints

Stay nimble, even on your off day, by moving your arms, wrists, and knees in low-intensity circles. The opening and closing of your joints brings fresh synovial fluids to nourish, lubricate, and hydrate these areas, while expelling waste and scar tissue. Rotate clockwise and counterclockwise to prevent imbalances and overuse injuries.

2. Use A Foam Roller To Reduce Muscle Tension

If you?re feeling pain or tightness post-workout, you can use a long, semi-soft foam tube to give your muscles a massage. ?Foam rolling breaks up scar tissue and knotting in your fascia, which?if left unattended?can lead to nagging aches and pains in your joints,? says Gaddour. Spend at least 30-60 seconds minimum rolling your sore muscle groups immediately upon waking, before bed, and any time you can spare during the day?the more, the better.

Getting the balance between rest and recovery is important in any person?s workout routine. Remember, the greater the training exercise and effort, the greater the need for a proper recovery session.

Try monitoring your workouts with a training log and pay attention to how your body is feeling. Both are great indicators of your recovery needs and from there, you can adjust your training program accordingly.